
Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss local sports first, but the highlight of this episode has to be Tony’s epic Mariners fandom story, and a jersey from a former M’s manager that was sacrificed for the betterment of the organization
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
In this episode of The Study of Sports, reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss hosting track and field meets, the decision for school districts to move middle school football to the spring, and some high school baseball.
While this podcast deals primarily with local, high school sports — from the perspective of expert administrators — we have to be honest with you: The best part of this episode is Tony’s story of winning a bizarre gift from the Mariners 14 years ago, and how in order to try to change the trajectory of the franchise, Tony had to sacrifice that gift this season.
Gotta hear from him!
Our podcast format is simple: A longtime sports reporter (Paul Valencia) discusses high school sports, and more, with longtime sports administrators and former coaches. Cale Piland is the former head football coach at Evergreen and Union and is now the athletic director for Evergreen Public Schools. Tony Liberatore is a former assistant coach and athletic director at Columbia River and is now an associate principal at Fort Vancouver.
We’re always interested in subject ideas for a future podcast. Email us a subject idea.
Send us your thoughts at: paul.v@clarkcountytoday.com.
Also read:
- Clark County all-stars get together for a final high school baseball gameLandon DeBeaumont and James Gill earned MVP scholarships honoring a soldier killed in Iraq.
- Spring sports review: Columbia River soccer, Seton Catholic baseball finish third in stateColumbia River, Seton Catholic, and four individual athletes from Clark County earned hardware at the WIAA spring state championships.
- Raptors, Ridgefield welcome another season of West Coast League baseballMayor Matt Cole threw the ceremonial first pitch as the Raptors opened their 2026 season with a 9-0 win.
- Ridgefield Raptors set for opening night on Thursday, May 28Now in its seventh season, the Raptors open 2026 with 32 home games and a new non-league opponent Thursday night.
- High school sports: Columbia River boys soccer looking for a repeat state championshipColumbia River boys soccer is the 3-seed again — just like the year they won it all.






